Highlights

There has been a significant reduction in the cultivated area of both irrigated as well as rainfed crops for 2004 Yala season
due to the failure of the rains. The drought situation was much worse than the forecast by CFSAM in March. Compared to the
previous year, the 2004 Yala paddy output is reduced by 84 percent in Anuradhapura, 66 percent in Kurunegala, and 46 percent
in Puttalam.

The damage to Yala paddy production in Agrarian Service Centres (ASCs) located in dry zone is much higher. On average, more
than 90 percent of Yala paddy areas were abandoned in 12 ASCs in dry zone of Kurunegala district and the areas in 5 ASCs were
totally lost. The Yala production in all ASCs in the dry zone of Puttalam district was reported totally lost.

Nationally, the 2004 Yala paddy output is estimated at about 799 000 tonnes and revised downward 9 percent from the CFSAM
forecast. The estimated production is 28.4 percent below the previous five-year average and 32.1 percent lower than that of
last year.

The 2003/04 Maha production is revised up to 1 669.7 thousand tonnes, about 2 percent higher than the CFSAM estimated in March,
reflecting higher yields achieved.

The revised overall total paddy production in 2004 (the sum of the 2003/04 Maha and the 2004 Yala) is at 2.47 million tonnes,
41 000 tonnes or 1.7 percent below that estimated in March and some 20 percent below paddy production in 2003.

Total rice and wheat import requirement including food aid is raised up from 1.39 million tonnes estimated in March to 1.42
million tonnes, based on the revised production.

The two severe consecutive seasons in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, and Puttalam, especially in ASCs located in dry zone have
caused severe food insecurity and input shortage for 2004/05 Maha paddy production. Lower incomes and rising prices of essential
commodities further aggravated the food insecurity.

Assistance has being provided by WFP and FAO to the farming families in the most seriously affected ASCs in three districts
after the CFSAM mission.

1. Overview

Sri Lanka, especially in the dry-zone areas, has experienced a prolonged drought stemming from reduced rainfall levels since
the beginning of the 2003/04 Maha season from September 2003. Following a request of the Government of Sri Lanka, a FAO/WFP
Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) visited the country from 7 to 24 March 2004 to assess the 2003/04 Maha harvest
and to forecast 2004 Yala production in order to estimate cereal import requirements for 2004/05 marketing year including
anticipated food aid needs.

The findings of the CFSAM mission in March revealed that failure of the rainfall, characterized as low and erratic during
Maha 2003/04 season resulted in a reduction of paddy production, when compared with the previous year. Of the districts affected,
Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, and Puttalam are the worst hit districts for Maha crops. Further, it was revealed that reduced availability
of water in the major irrigation schemes in Kurumegala, Puttalam and Anuradhapura and in other districts might cause a significant
reduction in the Yala crop of 2004.

Since March, the beginning of the Yala season (April to September 2004), drought conditions have worsened. 2004 Yala crops
were reportedly affected seriously by the prolonged drought. Recently, GIEWS staff and a FAO National consultant (Dr. Fernondo)
visited the most affected three districts to update the

drought impact on Maha and Yala production and discussed the food security situation with local WFP staff in the field. The
purpose of this report is to provide the updated information regarding the drought situation and its impact on Yala crop production,
especially in three most affected districts; update country’s 2003/04 Maha paddy production, total 2004 paddy production,
and balance sheet for rice and wheat supply and demand situation for 2004/05; and review the food security situation.

The Mission interviewed the government officials in the districts and Agrarian Service Centres, and the farmers in the fields
to gather first hand information. The Mission visited the WFP Food-for-Work projects, the rehabilitated small tanks. The Mission
also collected information from central government officials in Colombo on rainfall, water availability, and crop production
on the national level.

2. DROUGHT SITUATION AND ESTIMATED 2004 YALA SEASON PRODUCTION

2.1 Rainfall and water availability and during 2004 Yala season in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, and Puttalam

Sri Lanka is categorized as three agro-ecological zones- the wet zone, the intermediate zone and the dry zone. Sixty-four
per cent (64 percent) of the island falls under the dry zone, which receives less than 1,800 mm of rainfall per year during
both the south-western (smaller Yala season) and the north-eastern (Maha season) monsoon periods. With fewer irrigation schemes,
rain-dependent agriculture in dry zones obliges vulnerable people to suffer from the vagaries of weather. During the 2003/04,
the impact of drought on crop production in dry zone was more severe than in wet and intermediate zones. Among the three
districts visited, all agrarian service centres in Anuradhapura are in the dry zone. Some agrarian service centres in Kurunegala
and Puttalam are categorized as dry zone, but the others are in intermediate zone.

Rainfall during the 2003/04 Maha season was low and erratic compared with that of the normal season. Rainfall levels well
below the 50-year averages were recorded for each month from September 2003 to February 2004 for the North-western and Central
Provinces, as reported by CFSAM in March.

Since the beginning of the Yala season (from April to September 2004), precipitation has continued to be lower than normal
and drought conditions have become worse. As shown in Figures below, the observed cumulative rainfall by the end of August
registered 1012 millimetres (mm) in Anuradhapura district, 912 mm in Kurunegala District, and Puttalam District. They are
48 percent, 42 percent, and 38 percent, respectively, below last year’s level.

As a result of the reduced rainfall, water level and storage in major tanks were extremely low in three districts as reported
in Table 1. Some tanks were seriously depleted after the year-long prolonged drought. As of 16 September, the average effective
storage was only 5.6 percent in Aunradhapura, 14 percent in Kurunegala, and 10.4 percent in Puttalam.

Table 1: Water level and storage of major reservoirs in Anuradapura, Kurunegala, and Puttalam as of 16 September 2004

District/Reservoir

Gross Extent

Gross Capacity

Effective Storage

Acres

Acft

Acft

Percent

Anuradapura District

63 433

419 890

22 647

5.6

Basawakkulama

1 788

1 900

205

10.8

Huruluwewa

10 000

55 000

6 500

12.3

Mahakandarawa

6 000

36 250

-3 300

-10.2

Mahawilachchiya

2 700

32 500

2 375

7.5

Nachchaduwa

6 275

45 140

7 890

17.5

Nuwara Wewa

2 400

36 000

2 620

7.5

Padaviya

13 800

85 000

1 480

1.8

Rajangana

17 500

81 600

2 515

3.3

Tissa Wewa

970

3 500

1 070

33.0

Wahalkada

2 000

43 000

1 292

3.2

Kurunegala District

24 703

78 963

10 231

14.1

Ambakolawewa

840

6 700

365

5.7

Attaragallawa

1 036

3 668

-240

-7.6

Batalagoda

6 030

4 840

531

11.3

Hakwatuna

5 060

19 727

3 858

23.1

Kimbulwana

1 664

6 900

414

6.4

Magalla

6 000

7 440

1 515

20.6

Palukadawala

2 023

7 688

1 318

17.2

Usgala Siyabalan

2 050

22 000

2 470

12.1

Puttalam District

7 319

73 835

7 198

10.4

Inginimitiya

5 226

58 835

4 946

9.1

Tabbowa

2 093

15 000

2 252

15.2

2.2 2004 paddy production during Yala season in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, and Puttalam

As major tanks in Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, and Puttalam were seriously depleted, many farmers suffered two successive crop
failures. Large areas of paddy land were unplanted due to insufficient water supply in the irrigation tanks.

In Anuradhapura, with the whole district belonging to dry zone, the 2004 Yala crop was the worst-hit by drought at the district
level. The area achieved for Yala paddy is estimated at 3 460 hectares, a decrease of 84 percent from the previous year. The
Yala paddy production is estimated at some 10 760 tonnes, about 84 percent below that of the previous year. The brunt of the
decline in productivity was borne by farmers using major and minor irrigation tanks for Yala crop production.

Compared with that of Anuradhapura, overall Yala crop situations at the district level in Kurunegala and Puttalam were slightly
better. The total 2004 Yala areas are estimated at 18 590 hectares in the former and 6 010 hectares in the latter, 65 percent
and 44 percent, respectively, reduction from the previous year; while the total 2004 Yala paddy production are estimated at
57 520 tonnes in the former district and 15 180 tonnes in the latter, 66 percent and 46 percent, respectively, reduced from
the previous year.

However, the impact of drought on ASCs located in dry zone in these two districts is not different from that in Anuradhapura.
2004 Yala production area in ASCs located in Dry Zone are reported in Tables 2 and 3. More than 90 percent production located
in the centres of dry zone of Kurunegala was lost based on the average of all 12 centres. Of them, five ASCs lost all Yala
paddy production. In Puttalam district, all Yala production in all 10 agrarian service centres was also totally lost.

Similar to paddy, the areas for other crops in these centres were reduced considerably and resulted in almost no production
in some areas.

Table 2: Harvested paddy area (ha) in Yala season in Agrarian Service Centres of dry zone in Kurunegala district

Agrarian Service Centre
in Dry Zone

2003 Yala

2004 Yala

Percent of 2004
over 2003

Maho

699

0

0.0

Nagollagama

1 497

0

0.0

Galgamuwa

2 063

85

4.1

Ehetuwewa

1 545

0

0.0

Mahananneriya

573

40

7.0

Nikawertiya

2 253

1 173

52.1

Divullegoda

625

4

0.6

Ratnayakepura

1 393

161

11.6

Kotawehera

663

56

8.5

Mahagiriulla

847

102

12.1

Tambutta

4 452

0

0.0

Ambanpola

1 415

0

0.0

Total

18 024

1 621

9.0

Note: Figures may not add-up exactly due to rounding.

Table 3: Harvested paddy area (ha) in Yala season in Agrarian Service Centres of dry zone in Puttalam district

Agrarian Service Centre
in Dry Zone

2004 Target

2004 Achieved

Percent of Achieved
over Target

Serukele

485

0

0

Mahakumbu

815

0

0

Anamaduwa

800

0

0

Inginimitiya

1 630

0

0

Nawagaththegama

425

0

0

Ih/Puliyankuama

718

0

0

Puth/Thabbowa

1 223

0

0

Wanathawillu

250

0

0

Puttalama

456

0

0

Madurankuliye

282

0

0

Total

7 084

0

0

Note: Figures may not add-up exactly due to rounding.

2.3 Estimated 2004 paddy production during Yala season in Sri Lanka

The Yala crop normally comprises 35 percent of the volume of the total paddy crop in Sri Lanka and the mean annual production
for 1998–2003 was some 1.12 million tonnes. This crop is usually produced using irrigation water from major and minor tanks
usually.

The 2004 Yala paddy areas, yield, and production for whole country were estimated based on the information collected from
the Government of Sri Lanka in Colombo. The estimated results with the comparison to the 2003 crop and the average of the
previous five years are reported in Table 4. The total area harvested for Yala paddy is estimated at 236 320 tonnes, 32.8
percent below last year and 26.9 percent below the average of the last 5 years. The total Yala paddy production is estimated
at 798 990 tonnes, 32.1 percent lower than the previous year and 28.4 percent below the average of five years, reflecting
the lower area harvested and low yield achieved. The estimated area and production are 12 percent and 9 percent below the
CFSAM forecast in March reflecting the fact that the drought situation during 2004 Yala season was much worse than expected.

Table 4: Newly estimated 2004 Yala season paddy production, in comparison with last year and the average of the previous 5
years

District

Area Harvested

Yield

Production

2004(‘000 ha)

2004(percent change from 2003)

2004(percent change from average)

2004(tonnes/ha)

2004(percent change from 2003)

2004(percent change fromaverage)

2004(‘000 tonnes)

2004(percent change from 2003)

2004(percent change from average)

Colombo

0.8

-50.5

-54.8

1.97

-1.5

-9.1

1.6

-51.1

-58.7

Gampaha

1.1

-75.2

-57.7

2.10

0.3

-11.8

2.3

-75.1

-62.4

Kalutara

9.9

-8.6

-19.6

2.19

-0.3

-7.3

21.5

-8.6

-25.6

Galle

6.1

-42.3

-43.0

2.02

-1.1

-1.7

12.3

-42.8

-44.0

Matara

14.0

4.6

-3.5

2.44

9.8

-6.4

34.2

14.8

-10.4

Ratnapura

10.5

-0.6

-8.0

2.41

9.8

-4.8

25.2

9.1

-12.5

Kegalle

6.5

-17.4

-6.8

2.90

1.4

1.7

18.8

-16.1

-5.8

Kurunegala

18.6

-65.4

-51.7

3.09

-2.4

-3.2

57.5

-66.2

-53.5

Puttalam

6.0

-44.1

-24.1

2.63

-4.1

-10.0

15.8

-46.4

-30.8

Kandy

8.9

-8.4

-9.1

2.69

1.5

-3.5

23.8

-7.9

-12.4

Matale

3.4

-48.0

-46.2

3.25

-1.4

-0.8

10.9

-48.8

-46.6

Nuwara Eliya

1.6

-11.6

-25.4

1.89

0.1

-3.0

2.9

-11.5

-27.7

Badulla

9.8

-10.8

-3.4

3.07

-13.5

-15.0

30.2

-22.9

-18.1

Monaragala

5.3

-15.6

9.9

2.53

-27.7

-32.0

13.3

-39.1

-24.6

Jaffna

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.00

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Killinochchi

3.3

3.4

-17.1

2.97

0.4

12.7

9.7

3.4

-4.3

Vavuniya

0.1

-86.3

-87.6

3.38

-2.9

6.3

0.4

-86.5

-86.6

Mullativu

2.6

48.8

37.1

3.65

2.5

28.0

9.3

51.7

76.2

Mannar

0.2

-60.7

-74.6

2.22

-13.7

-13.5

0.4

-66.1

-78.2

Anuradhapura

3.5

-84.0

-80.7

3.11

-0.6

-7.7

10.8

-84.1

-82.1

Polonnaruwa

36.6

-21.5

-20.9

3.88

-2.1

-4.0

141.8

-23.1

-24.2

Trincomalee

7.1

-44.6

-41.2

5.24

35.3

39.5

37.3

-25.0

-17.9

Batticoloa

15.6

-17.2

-0.5

2.96

0.9

-0.7

46.1

-16.5

-1.2

Ampara

41.7

-19.6

-20.8

4.19

-2.3

-4.2

174.4

-21.5

-24.1

Hambantota

12.3

-33.5

-22.7

3.83

16.7

6.5

47.0

-22.5

-16.1

Udawalawe

8.2

-3.5

-1.5

4.80

0.3

0.0

39.3

-3.1

-1.6

Mahawelih

3.1

-62.5

-59.2

3.93

-0.2

0.6

12.2

-62.6

-59.2

Sri Lanka

236.3

-32.8

-26.9

3.38

1.1

-2

799.0

-32.1

-28.4

Note: Figures may not add-up exactly due to rounding.

3. Revised 2003/04 Maha season paddy production and total 2004 paddy production

The Government of Sri Lanka (DCS) has officially made an official estimate of the 2003/04 Maha season paddy production. The
revised 2003/04 Maha paddy production for Sri Lanka at the district level with comparison to last year’s level and the average
of the previous 5 years is presented in Table 5. The revised 2003/04 Maha production is at 1 669.7 thousand tonnes which is
about 2 percent higher than the March estimate, mainly due to the higher yield achieved than the earlier estimate. The revised
2003/04 Maha paddy production is 12 percent and 5.2 percent below those in the previous year and the average of the previous
5 years.

Table 6 provides the revised overall total paddy production in 2004 (the sum of the 2003/04 Maha and the 2004 Yala seasons),
which is estimated at 2.47 million tonnes, 41 000 tonnes or 1.7 percent below that estimated in March. Based on this revised
data, total paddy production in 2004 is about 20 percent below last year and about 14 percent below the average of the previous
five years.

Table 5: Revised 2003/04 Maha season paddy production, in comparison with last year and the average of the previous 5 years

District

Area Harvested

Yield

Production

2003/04(‘000 ha)

2003/04(percentchange from 2002/03)

2003/04(percent change from average)

2003/04(tonnes/ha)

2003/04(percent change from 2002/03)

2003/04(percent change from average)

2003/04(‘000 tonnes)

2003/04(percent change from 2002/03)

2003/04(percent change from average)

Colombo

4.4

-0.4

-1.8

3.03

8.7

4.5

13.4

8.2

2.6

Gampaha

9.5

-4.7

-3.3

2.76

-0.5

-0.5

26.3

-5.1

-3.7

Kalutara

13.4

-0.1

-9.2

2.24

-2.2

-14.7

30.0

-2.3

-22.8

Galle

13.3

-14.3

-17.5

2.65

-1.7

5.2

35.3

-15.7

-13.1

Matara

13.8

-1.4

-14.1

3.00

7.9

7.5

41.4

6.3

-7.5

Ratnapura

12.6

-0.6

-12.0

2.55

-2.8

-7.1

32.2

-3.3

-18.2

Kegalle

7.0

-19.4

-21.3

3.03

-5.7

-12.7

21.1

-24.0

-31.1

Kurunegala

20.8

-67.7

-65.1

3.61

2.3

3.4

75.0

-67.0

-63.9

Puttalam

7.2

-52.6

-28.3

3.13

18.3

10.3

22.5

-44.0

-19.8

Kandy

12.7

-8.7

-16.5

2.87

1.8

1.3

36.4

-7.1

-15.4

Matale

13.7

-11.9

-0.8

3.71

-0.9

1.7

50.9

-12.8

1.0

Nuwara Eliya

5.1

-9.3

-17.2

1.87

10.5

0.4

9.5

0.2

-16.9

Badulla

21.0

-1.1

-0.3

3.68

14.6

7.2

77.2

13.3

6.8

Monaragala

14.6

0.2

13.6

3.98

5.9

5.6

58.4

6.1

20.3

Jaffna

7.1

10.1

17.8

1.79

-42.2

-30.3

12.7

-36.3

-18.5

Killinochchi

16.6

85.5

118.8

3.02

3.7

37.7

50.0

92.4

213.6

Vavuniya

8.0

2.3

25.9

3.49

1.1

7.8

27.9

3.4

35.3

Mullativu

6.9

-28.6

18.0

3.75

33.9

49.1

25.8

-4.4

74.0

Mannar

6.0

-27.2

2.6

3.92

-4.3

23.0

23.7

-30.3

24.6

Anuradhapura

28.0

-55.4

-45.7

3.64

4.2

3.5

101.8

-53.5

-43.7

Polonnaruwa

51.3

2.8

5.1

4.44

12.4

10.0

227.7

15.6

15.5

Trincomalee

24.4

-2.7

8.8

3.70

14.5

14.4

90.3

11.5

24.3

Batticoloa

45.5

2.6

20.6

2.48

9.0

-0.7

113.0

11.8

20.4

Ampara

56.0

-1.3

1.0

4.45

10.2

11.3

249.0

8.7

12.3

Hambantota

16.6

2.4

-4.7

4.04

1.1

2.6

67.3

3.5

-1.1

Udawalawe

8.5

-4.9

14.1

4.94

-2.2

0.9

41.8

-7.1

13.5

Mahawelih

24.9

-1.9

1.3

4.39

-4.1

-3.5

109.1

-5.9

-2.3

Sri Lanka

468.8

-16.2

-9.6

3.56

5.1

4.8

1 669.7

-12.0

-5.2

Note: Figures may not add-up exactly due to rounding.

Table 6: Revised 2004 total paddy production (sum of 2003/04 Maha and 2004 Yala), in comparison with last year and the average
of the previous 5 years

District

Area Harvested

Yield

Production

2003/04(‘000 ha)

2003/04(change from 2002/03)

2003/04( change from average)

2003/04(tonnes/ha)

2003/04(change from 2002/03)

2003/04(change from average)

2003/04(‘000 tonnes)

2003/04(change from 2002/03)

2003/04(change from average)

Colombo

5.2

-14.0

-17.0

2.87

11.3

6.6

15.0

-4.2

-11.5

Gampaha

10.6

-26.2

-14.6

2.69

4.9

0.3

28.6

-22.6

-14.4

Kalutara

23.2

-3.9

-13.9

2.22

-1.2

-11.7

51.5

-5.1

-24.0

Galle

19.5

-25.6

-27.7

2.45

1.0

5.1

47.6

-24.9

-24.0

Matara

27.8

1.5

-9.0

2.72

8.3

0.2

75.6

10.0

-8.9

Ratnapura

23.1

-0.6

-10.2

2.49

2.4

-6.2

57.4

1.8

-15.8

Kegalle

13.4

-18.5

-14.9

2.97

-2.4

-7.2

39.8

-20.5

-21.1

Kurunegala

39.4

-66.7

-59.9

3.37

0.0

-0.2

132.5

-66.7

-60.0

Puttalam

13.2

-49.1

-26.5

2.90

8.0

2.3

38.3

-45.0

-24.8

Kandy

21.6

-8.6

-13.6

2.80

1.3

-0.7

60.2

-7.4

-14.2

Matale

17.0

-22.5

-14.9

3.62

0.2

2.6

61.7

-22.4

-12.7

Nuwara Eliya

6.6

-9.9

-19.2

1.88

7.8

-0.6

12.4

-2.8

-19.7

Badulla

30.8

-4.4

-1.3

3.48

4.7

-0.2

107.4

0.1

-1.6

Monaragala

19.9

-4.5

12.6

3.60

-2.4

-3.8

71.7

-6.7

8.3

Jaffna

7.1

10.1

17.8

1.79

-42.2

-30.8

12.7

-36.3

-18.5

Killinochchi

19.9

64.0

72.2

3.01

2.9

32.7

59.8

68.7

128.6

Vavuniya

8.1

-5.7

12.4

3.49

1.2

7.9

28.3

-4.6

21.3

Mullativu

9.4

-16.9

22.6

3.72

27.6

42.4

35.1

6.0

74.5

Mannar

6.3

-29.1

-6.5

3.86

-3.6

22.7

24.1

-31.7

14.8

Anuradhapura

31.5

-62.8

-54.7

3.58

5.4

3.2

112.5

-60.8

-53.3

Polonnaruwa

87.9

-8.9

-7.6

4.21

6.4

4.1

369.5

-3.1

-3.8

Trincomalee

31.5

-16.9

-8.7

4.05

17.4

18.4

127.6

-2.4

8.1

Batticoloa

61.1

-3.3

14.4

2.61

5.3

-1.0

159.1

1.8

13.2

Ampara

97.6

-10.0

-9.6

4.34

4.3

3.7

423.4

-6.1

-6.2

Hambantota

28.9

-16.7

-13.3

3.95

9.3

6.2

114.3

-9.0

-7.9

Udawalawe

16.6

-4.2

5.9

4.87

-1.0

-0.2

81.1

-5.2

5.6

Mahawelih

28.0

-16.8

-13.1

4.34

-1.9

-1.4

121.3

-18.4

-14.3

Sri Lanka

705.1

-22.6

-16.4

3.50

3.8

2.7

2 468.7

-19.7

-14.2

Note: Figures may not add-up exactly due to rounding.

4. Food supply and demand situation in 2004/05

4.1 Current market situation

Following the failure of Maha and Yala harvests in 2004, there was a large perceived shortage in rice supply in major markets
in Sri Lanka. The retail price of rice has increased to about 45 to 50 Rps per kg in September 2004, compared to about 25
Rps in September a year ago.

4.2 Revised cereal supply /demand balance for 2004/05

A revised cereal supply/demand balance sheet for the country for 2004/05 is presented in Table 7. In preparing the balance
sheet, the following assumptions were made:

a midyear population of 19.22 million in 2004, obtained by applying an annual growth rate of 0.8235 percent to the previous
year;

a consumption requirement of 151.46 kg/caput of cereals (rice 98 kg/caput, wheat 50 kg/caput), the same level as in the previous
year;

The total cereal (rice and wheat) import requirement is revised up from last estimated 1.39 million tonnes to 1.42 million
tonnes, reflecting the lower total paddy production.

4.3 Emergency assistance to the drought-affected districts of Puttalam, Kurunegala and Anuradhaputa

The continuation of drought for two consecutive seasons has caused severe socio-economic problems due to food insecurity,
reduced job opportunities and lack of availability of drinking water. The affected families are generally subsistence farmers.
The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment & Social Welfare (MWESW) has estimated that at present nearly 1.5 million people have
been affected by the ongoing drought.

With slowed down economic activities, limited off-farm employment opportunities, and with virtually no farm work at hand for
a long time, farmers’ incomes have been significantly affected. Lower incomes have affected the purchasing power of the people.
The rising prices of essential commodities have further aggravated food insecurity. Many farmers, especially in the most drought-affected
areas, totally lack capital to purchase inputs such as seeds, implements, fertilizers etc to start their cultivation in the
coming Maha season.

Since the March Mission, some donors have provided funds for WFP and FAO projects to provide relief to the 14 000 most severely
affected families in eight Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the Puttalam, Kurunegala and Anuradhapura Districts. WFP under
their food-for-work (FFW) programme, has commenced work on restoring the small scale irrigation infrastructure in the selected
beneficiary areas. Considerable efforts are being made by World Food Programme to implement improvement projects such as de-silting,
bund management, canal clearance and other rehabilitation work under FFW programmes. The Mission has been very impressed with
some of these projects, especially after visiting two rehabilitated dams in Puttalam. The FAO project is starting to provide
seeds and fertilizer to the neediest 13 640 families.

This report has been prepared by Cheng Fang, under the responsibility of the FAO Secretariat with information from official
and other sources. Since conditions may change rapidly, please contact Mr. Henri Josserand, Chief, GIEWS, FAO, Fax: 0039-06-5705-4495,

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